Chinese, U.S. auto execs gather to talk about collaboration

By: Dustin Walsh

January 15, 2013

NOVI, MICH. (Jan. 15, 11:30 a.m. ET) — Hours ahead of the North American International Auto Show kickoff, Chinese delegates, automotive executives and industry wonks met on Jan. 13 in Novi to discuss collaboration between the U.S. and China.

The 2013 Global Auto Experts and Executives Forum, put together by the Shanghai-based China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, introduced this year's only China company on the NAIAS show floor, Guangzhou Automobile Group Co. Ltd.

GAC is a large state-owned automaker with Chinese joint ventures with several companies, including Mitsubishi, PSA Peugeot Citreon, Fiat and Toyota.

Huang Xiangdong, chairman of GAC, came to the show to introduce the brand to developed automotive markets.

While China passed the U.S. and Japan as the world's largest automotive market, its growth is slowing, Xiangdong said.

The slowdown in sales is the catalyst in GAC's interest in exposing itself to other markets, he said.

He said while Chinese products are not currently competitive in the North American market, GAC hopes to access the U.S. research and development talent in the meantime.

Xiangdong hopes the automotive conglomerate will export products to developing markets like Latin America, Middle Asia and Eastern Europe by 2015, with intentions of overseas production thereafter.

Representatives from Delphi Automotive Corp., General Motors Co., Center for Automotive Research and Deloitte & Touche LLP were in attendance.

Chinese government delegates and members of the China Council are expected to tour various suppliers this week, including Delphi.